2 April 1998 Edition
O Caoláin slams ``unreconstructed Tory''
Mates tries to gag Irish
Former Tory Minister in the Six Counties Michael Mates was unsuccessful in his attempt to prevent Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin from addressing the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Irish.
The republican TD later described Mates as an ``unreconstructed Tory with no respect for Irish people''.
The Inter-Parliamentary Body, which brings together TDs, Senators, MPs and members of the House of Lords was meeting in Ballyconnell, County Cavan this week when the clash occurred. At the final plenary session on Tuesday Caoimhghín O Caoláin was beginning his contribution which was in support of a motion commending all those involved in the multi-party talks for their efforts to achieve a settlement. He began in Irish:
``Ba mhaith liom tacú leis an rún agus a rá leis an comhdháil seo go bhfuil Sinn Féin ag obair go dian leis na pairtithe eile chun socrú daonlathach a bhaint amach. O tús na gcainteanna seo bhí sé mar aidhm againn comhaontú a fháil agus, cé go bhfuil deacrachtaí móra ann, táimid fós ag obair chun síocháin buan, le cothrom ne féinne dár bpobal uile, a chur ar bun.''
Before O Caoláin had finished the first sentence Mates butted in and asked the chairperson, Fianna Fáil TD Michael O'Kennedy, to stop the Sinn Féin TD:
``Is Mr O Caoláin going to speak to us in a language that the British half can understand? Otherwise it is going to be rather difficult to sum up what he is going to say. Is he addressing the Body or the television cameras?''
The Sinn Féin TD persisted and asserted his right to speak in the first national language. Speaking afterwards he said Mates's rude interruption was indiciative of the mind of an ``unreconstructed Tory'':
``Michael Mates has once again displayed the true nature of British Conservative attitudes to Ireland, its people, language and traditions. His insulting interruption shows his disdain for the Irish language. Would he have interrupted a French parliamentarian speaking in French, addressing a comparable body, or would he have respectfully waited for that member to then use English, presuming that Mr Mates has no working knowledge of the French language either.''
Addressing the Body on Monday when Questions to the Taoiseach were taken Deputy O Caoláin welcomed the members to his constituency of Cavan/Monaghan. His question was on continuing British militarisation along the border and urged the Taoiseach to demand speedier action from the British government, espcially given the social and economic cost to the border region. O Caoláin told the meeting:
``I acknowledge the very welcome and long overdue opening of cross-border roads and would mention the ongoing works to reopen the close-by Aughalane Bridge linking Counties Cavan and Fermanagh, the only national route to have been permanantly closed in the past 30 years of conflict. I will make but two points on this issue.
``First of all credit goes to those communities here in County Cavan and right along the border who were directly affected and who for years led the ultimately successful campaign for the reopening of the border roads. Secondly those roads should never have been closed in the first place. Even from a British military point of view their closure served no real purpose in that they did nothing to prevent armed activity. I make this point because it is indicative of the thinking of the British government and its armed forces.
``The very deployment of these forces and of their military infrastructure has been of itself a source of conflict. In a conflict situation surely it must be recognised that the `threat' comes from all sides who are engaged in armed actions and that must include the British armed forces.
``Yesterday's further exposure of British amry collusion in the assassination of nationalists in the Six-County area demands your government's support for a full international judicial inquiry. I ask the Taoiseach to now confirm that he will take this important and imperative public stand.
``I restate the concerns not only of my own constituents but of people along the border's entire length both North and South at the ongoing militarisation and intensification of that presence which mitigates severely against the local populations in all aspects of their daily life.''
Speaking on Tuesday Deputy O Caoláin said that while nationalists and republicans are willing to play their full part in the search for agreement they are not prepared to see the opportunity for lasting peace reduced to a narrow agenda. Fundamental change must come out of the negotiations. ``Any new kind of Stormont or any arrangement which copperfastens partition would not be acceptable'' he said.
Former Tory Minister in the Six Counties Michael Mates was unsuccessful in his attempt to prevent Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin from addressing the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Irish.
The republican TD later described Mates as an ``unreconstructed Tory with no respect for Irish people''.
The Inter-Parliamentary Body, which brings together TDs, Senators, MPs and members of the House of Lords was meeting in Ballyconnell, County Cavan this week when the clash occurred. At the final plenary session on Tuesday Caoimhghín O Caoláin was beginning his contribution which was in support of a motion commending all those involved in the multi-party talks for their efforts to achieve a settlement. He began in Irish:
``Ba mhaith liom tacú leis an rún agus a rá leis an comhdháil seo go bhfuil Sinn Féin ag obair go dian leis na pairtithe eile chun socrú daonlathach a bhaint amach. O tús na gcainteanna seo bhí sé mar aidhm againn comhaontú a fháil agus, cé go bhfuil deacrachtaí móra ann, táimid fós ag obair chun síocháin buan, le cothrom ne féinne dár bpobal uile, a chur ar bun.''
Before O Caoláin had finished the first sentence Mates butted in and asked the chairperson, Fianna Fáil TD Michael O'Kennedy, to stop the Sinn Féin TD:
``Is Mr O Caoláin going to speak to us in a language that the British half can understand? Otherwise it is going to be rather difficult to sum up what he is going to say. Is he addressing the Body or the television cameras?''
The Sinn Féin TD persisted and asserted his right to speak in the first national language. Speaking afterwards he said Mates's rude interruption was indiciative of the mind of an ``unreconstructed Tory'':
``Michael Mates has once again displayed the true nature of British Conservative attitudes to Ireland, its people, language and traditions. His insulting interruption shows his disdain for the Irish language. Would he have interrupted a French parliamentarian speaking in French, addressing a comparable body, or would he have respectfully waited for that member to then use English, presuming that Mr Mates has no working knowledge of the French language either.''
Addressing the Body on Monday when Questions to the Taoiseach were taken Deputy O Caoláin welcomed the members to his constituency of Cavan/Monaghan. His question was on continuing British militarisation along the border and urged the Taoiseach to demand speedier action from the British government, espcially given the social and economic cost to the border region. O Caoláin told the meeting:
``I acknowledge the very welcome and long overdue opening of cross-border roads and would mention the ongoing works to reopen the close-by Aughalane Bridge linking Counties Cavan and Fermanagh, the only national route to have been permanantly closed in the past 30 years of conflict. I will make but two points on this issue.
``First of all credit goes to those communities here in County Cavan and right along the border who were directly affected and who for years led the ultimately successful campaign for the reopening of the border roads. Secondly those roads should never have been closed in the first place. Even from a British military point of view their closure served no real purpose in that they did nothing to prevent armed activity. I make this point because it is indicative of the thinking of the British government and its armed forces.
``The very deployment of these forces and of their military infrastructure has been of itself a source of conflict. In a conflict situation surely it must be recognised that the `threat' comes from all sides who are engaged in armed actions and that must include the British armed forces.
``Yesterday's further exposure of British amry collusion in the assassination of nationalists in the Six-County area demands your government's support for a full international judicial inquiry. I ask the Taoiseach to now confirm that he will take this important and imperative public stand.
``I restate the concerns not only of my own constituents but of people along the border's entire length both North and South at the ongoing militarisation and intensification of that presence which mitigates severely against the local populations in all aspects of their daily life.''
Speaking on Tuesday Deputy O Caoláin said that while nationalists and republicans are willing to play their full part in the search for agreement they are not prepared to see the opportunity for lasting peace reduced to a narrow agenda. Fundamental change must come out of the negotiations. ``Any new kind of Stormont or any arrangement which copperfastens partition would not be acceptable'' he said.